Type 1 diabetes can be managed with a very low-carb diet

A study published in the journal Pediatrics hasfound that following a very low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet can help manage Type 1 diabetes in young people. This finding was based on the results of an observational trial on children with Type 1 diabetes who followed a low-carb diet.

The study, led by Belinda Lennerz and David Ludwig of Boston Children’s Hospital, aimed to assess glycemic control among children and adults with Type 1 diabetes who follow a very low-carbohydrate diet.

The average carbohydrate intake of the participants was 36 grams each day.

For the study, the researchers carried out an online survey of an international social media group for people with Type 1 diabetes who follow a very low-carbohydrate diet for an average of just over two years.

They gathered responses from a total of 316 respondents which included adults and parents of children with Type 1 diabetes.

They measured hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), which is used to determine the average blood sugar levels.

They also assessed the changes in HbA1c after the self-reported beginning of following a very low-carbohydrate diet, total daily insulin dose, and adverse events.